Accident Prevention
In our clinical practice, we get calls from parents reporting to us that their children fell down from the bed, from the chair and from the staircase.
Other reports would include some children swallowing kerosene while others are involved in vehicular accidents. These incidents cause anxiety to parents and will bring more trauma to their children.
The Advisory Committee on Accident Prevention in Childhood of the World Health Organization provided us with three cardinal bases of accident prevention and these are:
1. Education
2. Engineering
3. Regulation and law enforcement.
Education becomes the responsibility of the parents, teachers, social workers and other responsible adults to actively inform all people on accident prevention programs. At home, parents should put all kerosene, gas or cleaning materials out of the children’s reach. These materials should never be transferred to containers that can easily be opened by children. Moreover, these materials should not be transferred to empty soft drink bottles.
On the other hand, pills and other medicines should not be kept in areas that can be seen by children so as to prevent them from eating or swallowing these.
Hot waters or mug with hot drinks should also be properly handled to avoid burns. Road accidents could also be prevented if adults and responsible persons will give actual demonstrations such as safe crossing of the street. Swimming lessons should continue to be incorporated in school programs.
What does Engineering mean? It refers to well-planned freeways or highways and better road conditions. It is also important to have proper and well lighted streets with more traffic and signal lights and readable road signs. People and motorists should be firm in the use of the pedestrian lanes. It is also of great help if bicycle lanes will be set up in the streets. Architects should be safety-conscious in their designs of school buildings and residential homes.
The legislation for the manufacture of products that are safe should should also be enforced and should be followed at all times. These measures listed below are also important for accident prevention:
– non flammable textiles
– lead-free paints
– sugar coated or candied drugs should be controlled
– car seat belts should be strictly implemented so with the wearing of helmets among motorcycle riders
– safe playgrounds should be available in every community so that children will not play in the streets
– and lifeguards should be available in all public pools and beaches